Turtle shell has been traditionally used in various medicinal compositions for centuries in Chinese herbalism. Though most people view this as being composed of only herbs, Chinese herbalism also includes animals and minerals in addition to the more common plant life ingredients. The traditional Chinese method of preparing a turtle shell powder comprises the following steps as shown in FIG. 1.
Preparation of raw plastron. First, one kills the turtle 1 and then separates the bottom part (plastron) of the hard shell turtle from the carapace by using whatever tools are available 2. To accomplish this, you must also remove the turtle meat 3, and wash the plastron which is the bottom portion of the shell 4; it is subsequently dried in the sun or hung up to dry in the air 5. Because the plastron still has some remaining meat attached, it is soaked in clear water for twenty days during the summer 6, or forty days during the winter 7 without changing water. It is then removed from the basin and washed. Finally, it is dried in the sun 8.
Preparation of vinegar-treated plastron. In this case, completes these additional steps to obtain a satisfactory plastron. First, one places sand in a suitable container such as a pot and heats the pot to a hot enough temperature such that the sand is hot 9. Once the sand is hot enough, a clean raw plastron is placed therein and stir-fry until the plastron turns a golden or yellowish color 10. Next, one removes the sand from the container 11, and places the cooked plastron in a bath of vinegar within another container for a short period of time 12. Then, the plastron is removed from the vinegar bath, washed with water 13, and dried in the sun 14.
Finally, one grinds the vinegar-treated plastron into powder using a particular turtle shell grinding mill 15, and screens out large portions from the fine shell powder using a sieve 16.
However, the traditional manner of making the turtle shell powder has serious deficiencies: (1) the turtle shell powder from the traditional way irritates human's stomach and digestive tract, so people who have digestive tract or stomach problems can definitely NOT eat the turtle shell powder made using the traditional method because it gives them very serious stomach ache; (2) the turtle shell powder made using the traditional method has a very bad smell and tastes awfully preventing people from seeking its medicinal benefits; (3) only the plastron is recommended for use in the traditional method and the carapace is abandoned; (4) the traditional method takes a long time and gives off a very foul smell; (5) the traditional method is not sanitary and safe enough; (6) turtle meat and turtle soup are wasted in the traditional way.